Working from home, health and wellbeing consequences of a pandemic
Access status:
Open Access
Type
Working PaperAuthor/s
Greaves, StephenBeck, Matthew.J
Cobbold, Alec
Standen, Christopher
Rissel, Chris
Crane, Melanie
Abstract
Drawing from a survey of 1,165 Sydney (Australia) workers conducted in late 2020, when restrictions from the first COVID-19 wave were easing across Australia, we explore the impact of the pandemic on perceived changes to working from home (WfH) and other travel behaviours. Based ...
See moreDrawing from a survey of 1,165 Sydney (Australia) workers conducted in late 2020, when restrictions from the first COVID-19 wave were easing across Australia, we explore the impact of the pandemic on perceived changes to working from home (WfH) and other travel behaviours. Based on this analysis, we identify three distinct segments of the population with differing physical activity (PA) and quality of life (QoL) outcomes: (1) ‘Active but Anxious’ (22%) – younger, higher income, largest increase in WfH, sitting most of the day, sufficient PA; (2) ‘Less Change, Less Worries’ (38%) – older and male, least change in WfH, sitting relatively less, largely sufficient PA; (3) ‘Stressed and Sedentary’ (40%) – average age, lower income, largest loss of paid work, highest levels of sedentary behaviour, lowest PA and QoL. In a probable future of greater opportunities for WfH, understanding these heterogenous outcomes has implications for individuals, employers and policy-makers.
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See moreDrawing from a survey of 1,165 Sydney (Australia) workers conducted in late 2020, when restrictions from the first COVID-19 wave were easing across Australia, we explore the impact of the pandemic on perceived changes to working from home (WfH) and other travel behaviours. Based on this analysis, we identify three distinct segments of the population with differing physical activity (PA) and quality of life (QoL) outcomes: (1) ‘Active but Anxious’ (22%) – younger, higher income, largest increase in WfH, sitting most of the day, sufficient PA; (2) ‘Less Change, Less Worries’ (38%) – older and male, least change in WfH, sitting relatively less, largely sufficient PA; (3) ‘Stressed and Sedentary’ (40%) – average age, lower income, largest loss of paid work, highest levels of sedentary behaviour, lowest PA and QoL. In a probable future of greater opportunities for WfH, understanding these heterogenous outcomes has implications for individuals, employers and policy-makers.
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Date
2022-02-04Faculty/School
The University of Sydney Business SchoolDepartment, Discipline or Centre
Institute of Transport and Logistic Studies (ITLS)Share